Enough about labor; let’s talk about the draft

Before we get to the NFL, congratulations to the Texas A&M women for winning the national basketball championship over Notre Dame, and congratulations to everyone in Houston who was involved in putting on the Final Four. What an impressive job.

Now, nothing happened in the Minnesota court that was surprising. Judge Susan Nelson listened to both sides, told them she would take it under advisement and get back to them in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, she urged them to get back to mediation.

The owners, who have locked out the players, want to return to the bargaining table. The players, who decertified as a union so they could sue their bosses, know they have their best chance by winning some court cases. That wasn’t going to happen Wednesday because judge Nelson was never going to make an immediate ruling on such a complicated issue.

Now, while the judge considers everything she heard from the attorneys who are reaping millions in this labor dispute, let’s look at something more interesting — the draft.

I’ve been reading and listening to just about everyone who has done a mock draft. I’ve done two, and I promise to have a third one soon.

I had the Texans taking outside linebacker Robert Quinn in my first one and outside linebacker Aldon Smith in the second.

I think Quinn will be gone, but Smith will be there. I watched a show on the NFL Network today in which Warren Sapp, one of the greatest defensive tackles in history, spent a day working with Smith and Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus for a show called Gamechangers.

I contacted Sapp and asked him what he thought of Smith as a 3-4 outside linebacker, and he said, “He can and will play — a DeMarcus Ware-type player in two years.”

Anyway, here are some names I’ve seen going to the Texans and what I think their chances are of being their first-round pick.

Let’s start with the needs. They need a weakside outside linebacker who can rush the passer. Von Miller would be ideal, but to be guaranteed of getting him, they’d have to trade up to the second spot with Denver. I think it would cost them at least two first-round picks. I wouldn’t do it.

If, for some reason, on draft day Miller dropped a few spots while teams filled other needs, I’m sure the Texans would check out moving up, but I imagine the price would still be too high because he’s such a valuable prospect.

The Texans also need a cornerback. They were hoping to sign a veteran in free agency. It doesn’t look like free agency will happen before the draft unless Nelson rules within two weeks that the NFL will return to business as usual.

Can you imagine that? Right before the draft, free agency begins, and teams scramble to fill needs before the draft? I don’t think it’ll happen.

The Texans will need a free safety unless they get a corner who can start opposite Kareem Jackson. If they get a corner who can start, they can move Glover Quin to free safety. But they have to be sure the new guy, whether a draft choice or free agent, can start because Quin is their best corner.

Now, I don’t think there’s any way they’ll use their No. 1 pick on an offensive player. The defense was just too bad last season. This is a good draft for defense, especially front seven players for a 3-4 or a 4-3.

So I’m ruling out an offensive player like receiver Julio Jones and any other offensive player I see some mock drafts have the Texans taking.

Some other mocks have the Texans taking outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, defensive end Cameron Jordan and defensive end J.J. Watt.

The only one of that group I could see them drafting would be Jordan but only if Qunn, Smith and cornerback Prince Amukamara are gone.

I don’t see the Texans taking Kerrigan, who’s more suited for a 4-3 than a 3-4. I don’t see them taking Jordan, who’s a better 3-4 prospect than Watt, because they have two starting ends in Mario Williams and Antonio Smith.

Smith, who played in a 3-4 at Arizona, was the Texans’ most consistent defensive lineman last season. He’s not going to be replaced in the lineup.

A lot of scouts believe Watt is better suited for tackle in a 4-3.

If Quinn, Smith and Amukamara are gone, I see them taking Jordan even though they don’t need a starting end. Or I could see them trading down.

Jordan started for three years in a 3-4, and you can never have enough defensive linemen, right? At worst, he’d come off the bench in passing situations, play inside with Smith and put heat on the quarterback, which is something they desperately need.

I’m really intrigued, though, by Quinn and Smith. They are defensive ends who could project to outside linebacker. Both are multitalented but inexperienced. Every scout I’ve spoken to says both could develop into big-time pass rushers, but there are questions about both.

Quinn was suspended last season and has a benign tumor on his brain that hasn’t given him a problem since high school, but teams are being extra cautious for obvious reasons.

Smith, who left Missouri as a third-year sophomore, missed three games last season because of a fractured fibula and is very raw but has everything it takes to develop into a top pass rusher.

Anyway, if you’ve read this far, I’m sure you’re just like me in that you’re tired of the labor issues, and the draft can’t get here soon enough.